Of Children and Lost Friends
by GrammarKnighty
Summary: Takato's lazy Saturday working at the bakery suddenly turns into his first attempt at a babysitting career. What he believes will be his death though will actually be a moment of reflection as he forges a bond with someone he never thinks he would. Or, Takato and Shiuchon fluff... with angst. You've been warned.


"So, how do I do this?" Shiuchon asked, her fingers awkwardly wrapped around a pointy pencil which she innocently placed over her eyes to inspect it.

"Ah, no!" Takato quickly reached her hand before the pencil could go any further. "I mean, let's start by putting the pencil on the paper first." Takato started, wondering why exactly he, a ten year old, of all people was babysitting another kid just two years younger than him. If anything, he was the one in need of a babysitter. Today wouldn't end well.

* * *

It was Saturday, a day where Takato could care less about school and just relax and enjoy the day while helping his parents with the bakery. He'd have preferred sitting in his room so he could fill more of his drawing book but it wasn't like he could just tell his parents that. So he settled with sitting at the counter with a notebook he doodled in. It was small enough he could hide it behind his hand should anybody look his way.

When the sliding door opened, Takato was ready to greet their first customer only to be pleasantly surprised by a high-pitched voice of one of his friends.

"Morning, Takato-niichan!" Shiuchon barged in and stopped at the counter.

"Shiuchon! Good morning. Good morning to you too Lee-san," Takato bowed towards the woman.

"Good morning. Oh my, have you grown a bit, Takato-kun? You look taller."

Takato blushed at the compliment and just grinned.

"Oh, Mayumi. Good morning," Takato's mom said, approaching them while wiping her flour-coated hands. "Dropping of Shiuchon?"

Takato looked up at the adults confused. "Drop off Shiuchon?"

Shiuchon gladly answered that. "Mom has work. Dad too. Jen nii-chan joined a Tai Chi tourna-whatitiscalled. Rinchei nii-chan and Jaarin nee-chan are busy too so they can't look after me either. They're always like that, " she puffed up her cheek at that.

"I forgot to tell you sooner but can you please look after Shiuchon today? I'll raise your pocket money." Takato's mom said.

"Don't worry, Takato nii-chan. I brought my things with me so you don't have to share your toys," Shiuchon showed her bag and shook it.

And that was how Takato found himself on the floor of his room teaching Shiuchon how to write, his heartbeat increasing at seeing her trying to poke her eyes and bllnd herself. They'd done everything from Rock-Paper-Scissors to arm-wrestling("Yay I won!") and they were out of ideas. Shiuchon mentioned how she had trouble with Kanji so they decided to do just that.

As Takato guided Shiuchon's hand to write the Kanji for "middle"(中), all the while reminding that no, she shouldn't point the pencil's tip at her eyes, his lips stretched into a thin line. He didn't have younger siblings so this was the first time he ever had to do things like this.

All of his friends that did, including Jen, always said siblings were a pain in the neck. Takato honestly couldn't see how. Playing and spending time with Shiuchon were fun. Sure, her slow learning and complains could be frustrating but he'd take those over staying alone in his room. Plus, he'd kind of warmed up to her admittedly cute whine. The room felt less gloomy and more like somebody lived here. Especially after Guilmon...

Takato realized something after moving on to their fourth Kanji.

"Say, Shiuchon. Aren't you in the 3rd grade this year? Shouldn't you have learnt this already?"

The horizontal stroke they tried to make slanted downward a bit as Takato lost focus. Shiuchon didn't seem like she had one to begin with.

"Oops."

Takato waved his hand. "It's fine. It always happens. Just practise writing it more and you'll be fine." He then took Shiuchon's hand again and they tried writing the Kanji again. "So, you haven't been paying attention in class?" Takato asked. He could understand that since he himself got his own fair share of warnings from Asanuma-sensei.

Shiuchon groaned. "The teacher's boring…"

"But isn't Jen mad? I mean, isn't he really serious about studying?"

Shiuchon pouted. "But Jen nii-chan's the one that does all the homework for me," she mumbled loud enough for Takato to hear. Hearing that, Takato couldn't help but smile in spite of his exasperation. And here he thoughthewas the spoiled one. What was Jen thinking?

"But I'm not asking Jen-niichan anymore after this. I hate him," Shiuchon said so faintly he barely could catch it. Was that anger he heard in that. They must be having their sibling banter again. What wouldn't he give to have just that.

Takato chuckled. "I see, but that won't do. Next time tell Jen to only help you when you really need it."

"I told you I'm not asking him," Shiuchon huffed, but then pouted again. "Can you teach me instead? Kanji is hard…" Shiuchon whined, her hand threatening to escape Takato's grasp. Takato kept his grip on her but made sure it wasn't too strong. She didn't look like it hurt so he took that as an okay.

"Hm... I guess." Takato really didn't have anything to do on weekend and he like her here so why not?

"I can never write as good as you." Shiuchon said offhandedly as they moved on to the next one.

Takato shrugged. "My writing isn't the best either--Hey, look at your hand--I write just like anybody else. My teachers sometimes tell me I need to improve my writing because they can't read it."

Shiuchon giggled and looked at him. "Really?"

"Eyes on your hand, Shiuchon. But yeah. I can draw well but when I write everything becomes squiggly and nobody except me can read it!"

The two of them continued sharing their stories as they went through several other Kanji, repeating each of them a few times.

"Can we take a break now?" Shiuchon asked, completely bored out of her mind that she began to nod off.

"I suppose."

Taking that as a cue, Shiuchon yawned before stretching and lay down on her side, eyes closed. Takato blinked.

"Shiuchon?"

There wasn't a response. Shrugging, Takato joined her on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Takato let his mind wander and he daydreamed about a fantasy world where a red monster he himself created became his best friend. If he tried, he could see himself jumping around, hugging Guil-

"I miss them."

Takato started at Shiuchon suddenly saying that. He put a hand on his chest. Gosh, this kid. But…

"Lopmon and Terriermon. I miss them," Shiuchon mumbled.

Takato stared at Shiuchon's back facing him then looked away gazing into nothing. "Yeah. I miss them too. Guilmon, Terriermon, Renamon, all of them." Had it really been a year since they left? Time flied so fast, yet he was far from fulfilling the promise he made with guilmon.

"Do you think they'll get our messages?"

Right. The messages. Jen was the one that suggested it: record their voice and send it as a Dust Packet, only that they wouldn't know if the messages reached the Digimon.

"If the others don't get theirs, I told Guilmon to say we miss them and can't wait to see them again."

"But what if Guilmon doesn't get your message?"

There came the question. The Digital World was huge. Their trip there barely covered a quarter of the quarters of the quarters of that place! Who was to say the messages would reach them at all? Who was to say Guilmon would ever get to know that Takato missed him?

Takato's breath hitched. "He will. He will get the message. I know it." Guilmon had to.

"Boys shouldn't cry," Shiuchon croaked, her attempt at lifting the mood failing. He realized she had turned to face him, tears pooling over her eyes… just as his were. Takato smiled, or at least attempted to.

"Crying makes me stronger," Takato said, smiling and sitting up and wiping his eyes, Shiuchon doing the same and hugging her knees. "It's just… it's not fair, the Digimon having to leave I mean." Right after they promised to be stay together at that. Of all times… A sad chuckle escaped his lips.

"But," Takato looked at Shiuchon. "It'll be fine. Jen said he'll become a researcher. Then, he'll create a program that will allow both human and Digimon to live together. We just have to wait.

"Of course, I wish I could join Jen too and help him but..." Takato looked at his hands, the hands that once carried Gram and Aegis. "I've never been good at that kind of things. All I could do is support him for now." He was nothing without Guilmon. What good was he to Jen and the others.

"But why can't we meet them now?" Shiuchon pulled him from his musing. "Why do they have leave at all?"

Takato recounted what Yamaki-san and the others told him, what the man himself drilled onto him when he asked the same question.

"The Digimon could evolve into D-Reaper if they-"

"I know! Dad told me. But why? If Digimon can't stay here because they'll turn evil then why don't we go to them? Can't we just go to the Digital World to meet them?" Shiuchon seemed like she wanted to scream right then and there, but she kept herself controlled.

"Shiuchon…"

She had a point. If the Digimon would turn into mindless program like the D-Reaper, then keeping them in the Digital World while allowing both worlds to still be connected with each other should be fine. There was more to this but Takato didn't really get what the adults meant saying the worlds needed to be separated. It was all big words and his mind almost melted trying to digest it. Still, if they were to find another portal…

"We can't. The Digital World is too dangerous. Last time we were there we barely escaped alive." And one of them didn't escape at all. "Even if we can find a portal to the Digital World, the adults won't allow us."

Takato wondered if she knew about the portal in Guilmon Home. Former Guilmon Home he supposed. It was covered in concrete now. Jen probably didn't tell her. He himself bawled once he found out Yamaki-san had installed a firewall that prevents anybody from passing through it.

In that state of mind, he stupidly crawled into the portal and broke down the firewall specifically made to ward off humans and soon finding himself in bridge between the two worlds. Some guys working for Yamaki-san caught up to him though. He gave them a fight but gave up in the end.

For the next few days he cried non-stop, only to find out Guilmon Home had been closed off shut several days after.

If Shiuchon didn't know, she'd be better of not knowing at all. She'd be heartbroken. She was bad enough as it was. There had been a few drops here and there, but now Takato noted her bloodshot eyes that was just threatening to spill.

"I hate it," she said, sniffing and wiping her eyes. "I hate that we can't do anything to meet them again. And I'd just met with Lopmon. There's so much we haven't done together. And… and…" Shiuchon sat there weeping.

"Shiuchon. There-" Takato started weakly but was cut.

"I hate dad. Jen-niichan said there was nothing he could do but he could. He could've stopped Lopmon from leaving. He could've not taken Lopmon away!"

Takato could say nothing at the contemp shiuchon held for her dad, mainly because he too had such feeling. Jen wasn't the only one glaring at Lee-san the day the Digimon left.

"You've been arguing with your family?"

Shiuchon sniffed. "Everyone sides with dad, even Jen-niichan." She gritted her teeth.

Seeing Shiuchon in such state, Takato was reminded of himself just a few weeks ago after Guilmon Home was covered up. Alone and had nobody that understood her.

Takato's parents, while they were there for him, didn't know his pain. Ruki and Hirokazu were never the sappy kind and Jenrya always kept himself busy they barely could meet. Asking Juri would be very insensitive of him. Ryo? Takato lost contact of him. That left only Kenta but Takato really didn't know how to approach him about it. He didn't know Ai and Makoto enough and doubted they could help him if he, the older one, was this bad.

Now though, seeing Shiuchon looking hurt like this, he realized he wasn't the only one wanting to tear the Hypnos building down and demand them to build an Ark so they could travel to the Digital World. He had been thinking only of himself and forgot there were still the younger Tamers that needed a shoulder to lean on, more so than him. He knew how painful it was not having anyone that could not only be there but also understand him. He couldn't bare seeing anyone else feel like that.

His body moved first before his mind could catch up.

"We'll meet them again," he heard his voice cracking as he pulled Shiuchon onto him in an awkward hug. He drew short breaths and tightened his embrace as the dam behind his eyes began to burst. "I don't know how or when, but we will... We will…" By the end of that sentence his mouth began to fail him and he was left a crying mess gasping for breaths.

Shiuchon, taken of guard and stiff from the sudden hug, softened and leaned into him, her hair brushing against Takato's face. It would've been uncomfortable on usual circumstance, but he didn't mind this. He wanted this. What he intended as a comfort for Shiuchon, it ended up being one for both of them.

"Lo… Lopmon…" Shiuchon muttered through gasps.

"Guilmon…"

Takato's hand never stopped running a circle on her back, the other one caressing Shiuchon's hair. Shiuchon's own hands that were originally pressed against his chest wrapped around him, her hold tightening the louder she they cried. It felt nice, hugging like this.

* * *

Takato had blanked out. Upon opening his eyes, he found both of them sprawled out on the floor. Shiuchon had half of her upper body lying on his chest, his right hand crushed under her weight. Her snoring was loud enough it could rival Guilmon and his dad's.

For a while, Takato let it stay like that and enjoyed the . Then he found it unbearable so he gently tried to push Shiuchon's off of him. He failed. He'd turn into a pancake if they stayed like this. Goodness, what did she even eat?

"C'mon, Shiuchon. Wake up already…" Takato whined.

Shiuchon stopped snoring. He took it as an okay but then she said, "Five… more… minutes…" Then she snored off again.

"Shiuchon…"

Great.

To be honest, he didn't really mind. He never had to share a bed--or floor--with anybody after he'd grown up sleeping with his parents. Never had a sleepover either. There was that one time with Guilmon… but only that once. Everything seemed all right in the world then and Guilmon even being in the room had been the prove. Why not? His parents knew about Guilmon but still let him stay here. Then they went to the Digital World, fought D-Reaper… and he returned to this room alone. This room never felt the same after that.

"Lopmon…" Shiuchon mumbled in her sleep.

Takato clenched his free hand. Takato had decided. He wasn't sitting here doing nothing anymore. He would study hard, be good enough to be able to be recruited by Hypnos, and do whatever else he needed to to bring the Digimon back. He might not be able to do much, but he could try. They need all the help in the world. And he was Guilmon's Tamer wasn't he? What kind of a Tamer would he be if he couldn't bother to even try finding a way to meet him again?

"We'll meet them again, Shiuchon. I promise."

* * *

**In the cd drama, Takato mentions that he breaks the firewall Yamaki had installed to not allow human to walk through the portal. The thing is, I'm not sure what he means by that. Does he barge into Hypnos and just Iwakura Lain-ed the program and break its coding beyond repair? Or does he actually mean it literally? I don't know, so I took a writing liberty here and went with the literal meaning. It makes much more sense than Takato suddenly being able to code.****Anyhow, hope you like it :D**


End file.
